• the levels of both the endogenous excitotoxin quinolinic acid (QUIN) and its bioprecursor, 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK) are increased in the striatum beginning at 15 months of age, similarly to that seen in Huntington disease patients

• exhibit relocation of the mutant protein to the nucleus in medium sized spiny neurons and much later, the formation of morphologic nuclear inclusions (at 12-15 months) and insoluble aggregate that are hallmarks of Huntington's Disease in humans